The chill in Kitsune Saiguu's voice matched her footsteps as she closed in on Lin Mo, step by step.
Lin Mo had just told a lie.
So when he faced Kitsune Saiguu now—radiating pressure from every pore—his guilt skyrocketed.
"Saiguu, please don't get upset! Let me explain first!" Lin Mo hurriedly said. "Yae and I found Chiyo after her will had been corrupted by filth. I was riding on Yae's fox form—of course her scent would rub off on me. And to restrain Chiyo while she was rampaging, some physical contact was unavoidable!"
As he spoke, he pointed at his neck. "Look—there are even bite marks here. She didn't break the skin, but it left red marks, right?"
"Hm? It really does look like that…"
Kitsune Saiguu nodded quietly.
The anger in her eyes faded by more than half. When she looked at Lin Mo again, there was even a trace of tenderness.
"So… you revived me because you completed the Lunar Goddess's trial?" she asked softly. "After I endured a hundred lifetimes of suffering for you… you still doubted me…"
"You… questioned me…"
"All my devotion—"
"—meant nothing to you?"
Lin Mo's pained expression was flawless.
"I'm… I'm sorry…"
Guilt welled up in Kitsune Saiguu's eyes. She stepped forward, took Lin Mo's hand, and said gently, "That was my mistake. Sasayuri… let's put everything behind us and start over."
Lin Mo closed his eyes and nodded firmly.
He wrapped her in a tight embrace—the best response he could give.
Off to the side, Sayu stared at him in utter confusion.
Since when did Teacher become this affectionate? she thought.
Back then, whenever he had time, didn't he always drag me to the Tenryou Commission's office?
Talking all night with Lady Kujou Sara about resistance plans and future strategies.
The two of them laughing together in that serious office—
—while I was left alone on the roof practicing stealth techniques!
The more Sayu thought about it, the more wronged she felt.
Teacher left me on rooftops for more than seven nights in a row!
I remember every single one!
And it wasn't just once…
He even said he'd take me to Watatsumi Island for training—
Then made me practice stealth alone on the shrine rooftops!
While he went swimming at the beach with that shrine maiden, Sangonomiya Kokomi!
Talking about "discussing military strategy,"
"The Art of War," "the Thirty-Six Stratagems"—
He was obviously just taking advantage of a girl!
I saw everything!
Thinking back on Lin Mo's "cruel training," Sayu puffed out her cheeks in frustration, sulking.
But she didn't dare expose him now.
After all…
Whether it was the promise of nap spots,
or the secret to growing taller,
Lin Mo held all her weaknesses in his hands. She had no choice but to stay quiet.
At that moment, Lin Mo and Kitsune Saiguu slowly separated.
Looking at him with concern, Kitsune Saiguu asked, "What about the corruption on Chiyo? Has it been cleansed?"
Lin Mo sighed helplessly. "We'll probably have to wait until Lumine and Paimon finish the Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual. Only then will there be time to purify the filth on Chiyo."
"Lumine? Paimon?"
Kitsune Saiguu looked puzzled.
Lin Mo briefly explained his identity in this life, and how Lumine and Paimon were capable of purifying the abyssal corruption.
After listening, Kitsune Saiguu nodded. "In that case, we really should help them. We can't keep Chiyo waiting."
Lin Mo agreed. "They've already gone to Chinju Forest. Let's head over and help."
"Chinju Forest…"
A hint of hesitation crossed Kitsune Saiguu's face.
"That chubby bake-danuki is so clingy. Every time he sees me, he wants to challenge me to a duel."
"But we don't have time for that right now."
Lin Mo knew the story of Ioroi and Kitsune Saiguu. To the tanuki, Saiguu was a rival he desperately wanted to defeat. If he learned she was in Chinju Forest, trouble was inevitable.
So Lin Mo suggested, "There are two corrupted barriers near the forest. They can handle those. Let's go straight to Araumi and cleanse the barrier there instead. It'll save time."
"Once the Araumi barrier is purified, Hanachirusato should sense it. Then she'll guide Lumine and Paimon straight to the Sacred Sakura's roots to deal with the tumor corrupting them."
"That was my plan as well," Kitsune Saiguu said, nodding.
After all, the two of them had grown up together.
Setting aside matters of the heart, they were always in sync.
The next moment, Kitsune Saiguu extended her hand to Sayu with a smile. "Come on, little tanuki—let's go together."
"I'm not a tanuki…"
Sayu muttered under her breath.
"Alright, alright—our cutest Sayu."
From the abandoned shrine to Araumi, the distance wasn't short. They had to detour around the towering Mt. Yougou, which would take time.
Lin Mo spread his tengu wings and took to the sky. Kitsune Saiguu, as a kitsune, could walk on air as well. She held Sayu in her arms, flying close beside him.
As they sped through the sky, a question suddenly surfaced in Lin Mo's mind.
He glanced sideways. "Saiguu… what do you think of Hanachirusato?"
"Hanachirusato?"
A smile naturally curved Kitsune Saiguu's lips.
"Among all the shrine maidens who perished in that disaster, she was the only one I truly favored. Gentle, considerate, patient, resilient."
"And most importantly—like me, she was willing to give everything for Inazuma."
"That's why I entrusted her with my memories and part of my power, and let her carry out the Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual."
From her tone, it was clear Kitsune Saiguu had foreseen Inazuma's future calamity long ago and prepared accordingly. Hanachirusato was the executor she had chosen.
Lin Mo hesitated, then asked, "Then… if such a devoted shrine maiden could return to Inazuma… wouldn't that be a good thing?"
"Of course it would," Kitsune Saiguu replied without hesitation.
But the next moment, her gaze dimmed. "It's just… once the cleansing ritual is complete, her long-cherished wish will be fulfilled. She'll probably head to the Land of Origins and Rest…"
"If…"
Lin Mo ventured carefully.
"I mean—if…"
"If I had a way to bring her back…"
"Do you think she would be willing to return? To continue serving the shrine… to give her strength to Inazuma once more?"
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T/N:
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